Click at left for FOTSCH Event Details.
FOTSCH has received funding by the DNR for a two-year Lake (Watershed) Protection grant submitted on behalf of the Upper St. Croix Watershed Alliance for the 2008-09 period. A summary of the grant is available here (requires Adobe Reader).
FOTSCH has received planning grant approval from the Wisconsin Environmental Education Board (WEEB) for a Sustainable Tourism conference in the spring of 2008.
At the River Alliance 2007 Spring Confluence get-together in Madison on March 10, 2007, FOTSCH was honored with the River Champion Award for excellence in river stewardship.
On December 21, 2006, FOTSCH joined the River Alliance of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Wetlands Association in asking for a judicial review to challenge the DNR's determination that the proposed Enbridge Energy pipeline expansion that would cross the St. Croix River at Gordon poses no significant environmental impact.
Historic Brule - St. Croix Waterway & Portage Trail project meeting was held on November 29th at the Brule Ranger Station. Participants discussed alternatives to plan, fund, and implement the on-going celebration and promotion of this historic waterway and portage trail. More information can be found at www.uscwa.org/HistoricTrailProject.htm
Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW) classification was approved for the St. Croix River headwaters segment (between Upper St. Croix Lake and the St. Croix Flowage at Gordon) in November 2006. More information can be found at Wisconsin Administrative Code NR 102 pp.10-15)
2006 Water-Monitoring "Results Workshop" hosted by Kris Stepenuck, state-wide Water Action Volunteer (WAV) coordinator, was held on November 11th at the Gordon EMT Base Station. Local 2006 WAV activities and results were reviewed.
Wild Rivers informational meeting was held on Wednesday, September 20th at 1:30 pm, at Minong Village Hall. Senator Bob Jauch and Representative Frank Boyle attended the meeting.
FOTSCH has received funding from the Citizen-based Monitoring Partner Program to conduct a more in-depth exploration of water quality during the spring of 2007along the St. Croix River near Gordon by focusing on pesticides as a water-quality indicator for pesticide monitoring on St. Croix River near Gordon
A Creek Survey took place on June 24th. DNR Fisheries Biologist Scott Toshner hosted a demonstration on fish sampling in wadable streams using backpack electro-fishing equipment. Mr. Toshner talked about trout and how the DNR takes habitat measurements for stream monitoring. A classroom workshop was held at the Bird Sanctuary Clubhouse and a streamside session was held at Park Creek in Lucius Woods Park in Solon Springs.
Our first annual get-together was held on June 10th at Gordon Town Hall.
2006 WAV Monitoring Sites have been selected along the St. Croix River headwaters segment and its tributaries
The first Upper St. Croix Watershed planning meeting took place on May 15th at the Solon Springs Community Center.
On May 5-8, 2006 FOTSCH participated in River Network's National River Rally in Bretton Woods, NH, thanks to a scholarship from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Workshops at the rally included watershed planning, information gathering and assessment.
April 29th Stream Monitoring workshop was provided by the Water Action Volunteer (WAV) staff to train citizen water action volunteers in the St. Croix River headwaters area.
The Wisconsin Environmental Education Board (WEEB) approved 2006 funding on April 21, 2006 for the development of a Water Quality Index (WQI) based-approach to summarize water-quality data into a more easily understood format. This will allow water-chemistry data to be more effectively communicated to local citizens and government units on an on-going basis.
On March 1st FOTSCH participated in the Superior Days meetings in Madison. The agency-level issue "Wild Rivers Tourism Promotion" was presented to the Wisconsin Department of Tourism.
The Natural Resources Foundation C.D. Besadny Conservation Grant Program approved funding on February 28, 2006 for a FOTSCH "Purple Loosestrife Control Project" on Upper St. Croix Lake. This project will be done in partnership with the Upper St. Croix Lake Association.
On February 2, 2006 FOTSCH was selected for participation in the 2006 Citizen Monitoring (Level-2) Pilot Project.
The Citizen-Based Monitoring Partnership Program approved 2006 funding for our application "Extended Monitoring at the St. Croix River Headwaters" on December 27th. This funding will support water-quality monitoring on Upper St. Croix Lake and its tributaries in partnership with the Upper St. Croix Lake Association.
January 11th and 12th ORW Hearings Public hearings in Ashland and Spooner were scheduled for adding protective designations for five Douglas County rivers: St. Croix, Amnicon, Moose, Spruce and Totagatic.
December 15th WAV Workshop Results of the 2005 Water Action Volunteers (WAV) St. Croix River monitoring activities were discussed at a FOTSCH workshop in Gordon.
December 3rd Public Listening Session State Senator Bob Jauch hosted a Wild River public listening session at 1 pm on December 3rd at Minong Village Hall.
November 15th (Solon Springs) and 16th (Minong) Wild River Meetings Wild River public informational meetings were held on a proposal to add the St. Croix River headwaters segment (between Upper St. Croix Lake and the Gordon Flowage) and the Totagatic River to the state’s list of “Wild Rivers.”
October 21st Citizen-Based Monitoring Conference Presentation FOTSCH was invited to make a presentation on the importance of the stewardship role of riverbank property owners.
October 15th Advanced Water-Monitoring Workshop was taught by UW-Stevens Point staff in Gordon. Sample preparation protocols were discussed for water-quality lab tests.
September 1st Trumpeter Swan Round-up to collar cygnets was conducted by DNR and volunteer staff on Lower Ox Lake.
August 29th Information Meeting included a discussion of current water-quality monitoring and invasive species control efforts, as well as the proposed Wild River initiative for the St. Croix River headwaters segment (between Upper St. Croix Lake and the Gordon Flowage).
August 24th Announcement by DNR Secretary Scott Hassett provided more information about Governor Doyle's Wild River proposal for the Totagatic River and the St. Croix River headwaters segment.
"Wild River" designation is proposed for the St. Croix River headwaters segment by Governor Doyle as part of an August 18th "Conserve Wisconsin" conservation agenda.
August 6th Canoe/kayak float was coordinated by the Friends of the Bird Sanctuary Birding Group and the Friends of the St. Croix Headwaters. This "meet the people, meet the river" event provided an opportunity for nature viewing.
August 5th Tour of Northland Cranberry Bog There was a property tour of the Northland Cranberries operations in Gordon.
July 28th Crayfish workshop was provided by UW-Extension to help determine the distribution of the various types of crayfish in the state.
DNR River Protection Planning Grant funding approval was received on July 26th. Our grant application for "Building the Capacity of the Friends of the St. Croix Headwaters" was approved.
2005 WAV Monitoring Sites have been selected along the St. Croix River headwaters segment and its tributaries
June 4th Stream Monitoring workshop was provided by the Water Action Volunteer (WAV) staff to train citizen water action volunteers in the St. Croix River headwaters area.
May 25th Canoe/kayak float Canceled due to weather. Will be rescheduled.
May 6th Canoe/kayak float was hosted by the Friends of the St. Croix Headwaters and the Wisconsin St. Croix Basin Partner Team. An opportunity was provided for people to meet one another, and to determine specific sites for our 2005 summer water-quality monitoring program.
The Citizen-Based Monitoring Partnership Program approved 2005 funding for our application "Monitoring the St. Croix River Headwaters" on March 14th. This funding will support water-quality monitoring on the St. Croix River headwaters segment, Lower Ox Creek, and the lower Eau Claire River.
The Natural Resources Foundation’s C.D. Besadny Conservation Grant Program approved funding on February 24, 2005 for water monitoring equipment.